How I Live in a 400 Sq. Ft. House – My Minimalist Home

Today’s post – How I Live in a 400 Sq. Ft. House – is by my wonderful staff writer Jordann. Enjoy! Also, if you are a new reader, please don’t forget to check out my monthly online income reports where I show you how I make over $30,000 a month while traveling in my RV….

Jordann

Written By:

Jordann

Last Updated: April 2, 2024

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How I Live in a 400 Sq. Ft. House - My Minimalist HomeToday’s post – How I Live in a 400 Sq. Ft. House – is by my wonderful staff writer Jordann. Enjoy! Also, if you are a new reader, please don’t forget to check out my monthly online income reports where I show you how I make over $30,000 a month while traveling in my RV.

Last week’s post about how I’m not always a minimalist got a lot of responses to the fact that I live with my fiance, my dog and my cat, in a 400 square foot house. Really, it’s more of a cottage. The story of how I came to live in this house is one of luck and a good relationship with relatives.

The bottom line for why I live in a tiny home: By living in this small space, I’ve been able to reduce my rent to $100 per month plus utilities, which has enabled me to pay off $27,000 of debt in 17 months.

That said, living in such a small space with so many other creatures isn’t easy, even for a minimalist like me. Sure, the sacrifice is worth it for the monetary gain, but it can get stressful at times living in a minimalist house.

There are a lot of problems that come along with small space living, so if you’re thinking about down sizing in order to save a little money or live somewhere more desirable, here are a few of my tips so that you can successfully live in a minimalist house.

Related articles on living in a 400 square foot home:

 

Adopt Space Saving Hobbies for a Minimalist House.

As much as I love things like having a home gym, painting, and having an expansive indoor plant collection, I had to give up these hobbies when I moved into a smaller space that couldn’t accommodate all of that stuff.

I didn’t intentionally stop these hobbies because I didn’t have enough space, instead, the hassle of lugging everything out and then putting it away became too much, and I started to gradually drift towards my more space-saving hobbies, like reading (getting something like a Kindle or an Amazon Fire can really help you have less stuff) and blogging.

Related: How To Live On One Income

 

Have Boundaries For My Minimalist Living.

I love my dog and cat, but in such a small space, they can get on my nerves a bit. That’s why I have a strict “No pets in the bed” rule. Being able to stretch out while sleeping has makes me feel so much less claustrophobic and crowded, that this little space suddenly seems a lot bigger.

Plus, I love seeing their faces in the morning after spending the night apart. Since we never break this rule, the pets don’t whine or fuss about it, they just accept it.

 

Take the Time to Clean In A Minimalist House.

Since 400 sq. ft. is so small, it doesn’t take a lot of time to clean every inch of space. That said, it can also get cluttered so quickly! With no place to hide stuff away and no rooms that I can just shut the door on and think “Out of sight, out of mind”, if I don’t keep up with the cleaning and organizing, this little house can become a disaster zone very, very quickly.

 

Take it Outside If You Live A Minimalist Lifestyle.

Luckily, my tiny little 400 sq. ft. house is situated on a good-sized lot that allows us space in the backyard for a fire pit and room enough for the dog to play a solid game of fetch.

Because of this, I try to spend a lot of time outside moving around. This keeps me from feeling too cooped up in our little house and getting cabin fever. If you decide to move into a small space, make sure you have either access to your own outdoor green space or plenty of amenities within walking distance to get you out and about.

 

Remember That Minimalist Living Is Not For Everyone.

I live in a tiny house because it affords me the opportunity to drastically reduce my rent and funnel more cash towards getting out of debt.

Before living here, I lived in a 700 sq. ft. apartment, and before that, an 850 sq. ft. space. I don’t plan on living here forever, in fact, I can’t wait to move somewhere a little more suited to my family’s needs. Not everyone is cut out for minimalist home living, and it’s definitely not easy. It’s not something everyone should aspire to.

That said, if you’re thinking about downgrading your current living situation and you are interested in minimalist living, living in a 400 sq. ft. space with two adults and two pets is totally doable. Heck, we could probably even throw a baby into the mix and still manage to get by (no plans to!). Living in a tiny space is a great way to save money in order to achieve other goals in life.

Have you ever lived in a small space (such as 400 sq. feet) to save money? Would you? Is a minimalist house something that interests you?

 

If you are new to my blog, I am all about finding ways to make and save more money. Here are some of my favorite sites and products that may help you out:

  • Find ways to make extra money – Here are over 75 different ways to make extra money.
  • Cut your TV bill. Cut your cable, satellite, etc. Even go as far to go without Netflix or Hulu as well. Buy a digital antenna (this is the one we have) and enjoy free TV for life.
  • Start a blog. Blogging is how I make a living and just a few years ago I never thought it would be possible. I earn over $100,000 a month online through my blog and you can read more about this in my monthly online income reports. You can create your own blog here with my easy-to-use tutorial. You can start your blog for as low as $2.75 per month plus you get a free domain if you sign-up through my tutorial. Also, I have a free How To Start A Blog email course that I recommend signing up for.
  • You should know your credit score – Check your credit score with Credit Sesame for free!
  • Answer surveys. Survey companies I recommend include Swagbucks, Survey Junkie, American Consumer Opinion, Pinecone Research, Prize Rebel, and Harris Poll Online. They’re free to join and free to use! You get paid to answer surveys and to test products. It’s best to sign up for as many as you can as that way you can receive the most surveys and make the most money.
  • You can save money and get cash back at the grocery store. Read my review and learn how to here.
  • Sign up for a website like Ebates where you can earn CASH BACK for just spending like how you normally would online. The service is free too! Plus, when you sign up through my link, you also receive a free $10 cash back too!
  • Save money on food. I recently joined $5 Meal Plan in order to help me eat at home more and cut my food spending. It’s only $5 a month and you get meal plans sent straight to you along with the exact shopping list you need in order to create the meals. Each meal costs around $2 per person or less. This allows you to save time because you won’t have to meal plan anymore, and it will save you money as well!
  • Try InboxDollars. InboxDollars is an online rewards website I recommend. You can earn cash by taking surveys, playing games, shopping online, searching the web, redeeming grocery coupons, and more. Also, by signing up through my link, you will receive $5.00 for free just for signing up!

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Jordann

Author: Jordann

Jordann is a part time runner, yogi, local foodie and personal finance aficionado. She’s also a full time marketing professional living and working in Atlantic Canada. She writes about her life at her blog, My Alternate Life.

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  1. myfijourney

    I lived in tiny apartments in college. It was great because I didn't live with my parents any more and in college it's okay to live on the cheap. But it's not something that I want to do again. By the time I finished grad school, I was sick of it. I lived up North where the winters were harsh, so there was probably a good four months where I was cooped up inside all day. Too small, too claustrophobic, not enough room for a single guy and a couple of cats.

    Reply
    1. freemoneyminute

      That is awesome that you are able to do so. What a great plan to get out of debt. Who wants to be a slave to their debtors for to long!

      Reply
    2. Laurie

      If your living up north and you have only four hours of winter…. that is not north! We get 4 months of summer!

      Reply
  2. Pauline @ Reach Financial Independence

    I have lived in 120sqft while in college, then upgraded to a 200sqft and it felt like a castle. Downgrading is more complicated if you have stuff and are used to the space.
    My recent post Lessons learned from an investment gone wrong

    Reply
  3. Jenny@FrugalGuru

    I shared a 350sqft apartment with two roommates in college. It wasn't actually bad.
    My recent post What Happens To My Body If I Die In Debt?

    Reply
  4. plantingourpennies

    My first apartment was 400 sqft, and I loved it because it was steps from the beach! It felt like plenty of space for 1 person and a plant, though when I tried to add fish they kept dying. When Mr. PoP was over for the weekends, we ended up spending a lot of time outdoors, on the patio, at the beach, wherever. It wasn't too bad.
    Sometimes I miss the days when I only had 400 sqft to clean. 1100 is so much more floor to clean, and Kitty PoP doesn't help!

    Reply
  5. JW_Umbrella Treasury

    I lived in a 400 square foot apartment for the first two years after college. The amount of space wasn't bad since it was just me. And the price was right. However, my apartment didn't have ANY closets. It was incredibly difficult to keep things organized and contain the clutter without closets. You're absolutely right that it's essential to keep a small space as clean as possible.

    Now, my husband and I have a two-bedroom place with 600 square feet. Some days, it feel HUGE to me!
    My recent post Why Is Raising Children So Expensive? What Did My Parents Do Differently?

    Reply
  6. Matt Becker

    We often overestimate the things we "need" to survive. I'm trying to adopt a mindset where I think about something and wonder what life would be like if I didn't have it. Would everything be ok? In almost all cases the answer is yes, so the next question is why do I have it? There usually isn't a really good answer. I'm glad you guys have been able to use that mentality to really improve your situation.
    My recent post The Simple, Effective Approach to Investing (Part 3): Determine Your Asset Allocation

    Reply
  7. Michelle

    We lived in a tiny house that we rented from one of W's cousins right after we graduated from high school. It definitely saved us a lot of money!
    My recent post How I Live in a 400 Sq. Ft. House – My Minimalist Home

    Reply
  8. Ree Klein

    Wow, I thought I'd be in the "small space" set until I read some of the comments here…it appears that my 1,123 sq ft home is a massive castle!!! That said, I've lived in it for 20 years. The good thing is that it has kept my "stuff" limited to that space and when I've shared the space with someone else, I've had to pair down. I'm pretty good at that but still feel rich with clothes, furniture and lovely things to look at. I made a "do not rent extra storage" rule early on so I've never kept more than could fit in my home/garage.

    In my younger years I've lived in some very tiny places (not sure of dimensions) and never minded that as long as I could get outside. I think small is the new big, especially here in California where people went crazy with McMansions.

    Great Post!

    Reply
  9. DC@Young Adult Money

    I suppose it's nothing like your experience, but I did rent a room in a relatively small house with three other roommates. I should say I shared one of the two bedrooms with a roommate, the two others took the other room. We had a small bathroom and a modest first floor. Rent was relatively low and we made the space work.
    My recent post No Excuses for Not Entering Giveaways

    Reply
  10. SavvyFinancialLatina

    Our first apartment as a married couple, we lived in a 400 sq. ft apartment. I do miss it because it was cheaper! Our housing expenses increase by $500 when we moved to a 690 sq. ft apartment. Ouch. But I do enjoy the bigger kitchen, and bigger closet!

    Reply
  11. Budget & the Beach

    I think I could do 400 square feet if it was just me, but probably would have a hard time with pets and living with someone else. My apt is not big by any means right now…I think around 6 or 700ish, but when two people are here I notice it starts to get a little cramped. That being said I hate clutter so regardless of my space I'd keep it clutter free. Personally I'd love a bigger kitchen and bedroom.

    Reply
  12. Keren

    Before my husband and I got married, we lived in a 600 sq foot efficiency apartment. The only room that had a door was the bathroom and it was quite tiny. Otherwise, it was one decent sized open room. At that time, it was $350/month including all utilities except cable and phone. Not too shabby in my opinion! There were, however, tradeoffs. First of all, my husband is, and always has been, a night owl. Me? Not so much. So while he was watching TV at all hours of the night, I tossed and turned. If you burned something in the kitchen, even your sheets smelled like it. Not that I ever did that. *cough*

    Reply
  13. mycanuckbuck

    Ooh – not sure I could do it. I don't even know if that's enough room for my husband's CD collection! 🙂 If it was just me and my cat, maybe..

    Reply
  14. Cece

    It's certainly isn't for everyone!! I did it for five years and never want to do it again. It started out okay for the first two years and then it started to drive me nuts. When your home is making you kinda miserable it's not worth the savings in rent.

    Reply
  15. Kyle@DebtFreeDiaries

    I'm not completely sure how big our space is, it's probably somewhere between 250 and 400 square feet. Leslie and I live in a tiny studio apartment behind another house. We first moved in because it was a super cheap place we could live without having roommates. Three years later we're still there and have a little dog! We'll probably stay here at least another year or so while we pay down debts.
    My recent post Working With Our Strengths and Being on the Same Page

    Reply
  16. krantcents

    I lived in a smaller space to find out if we could. I found it too confining. I think it would work if home is just a place to sleep vs. if you do many things there.

    Reply
  17. Nick @ AYoungPro.com

    Wow, that is crazy! Rock on!
    My recent post Blog Roundup #14

    Reply
  18. Scott H.

    First off all, the image you choose for a representation of the small house is just beautiful! What a dream!

    Second, where in the world are you renting for $100 a month? If you don't mind, that is awesome and I'd love to be there even if it is small! I spend so little of my time indoors. Between working, sleeping and all of my hobbies and time spent with family we are rarely indoors, usually outside. That's the only kicker, we'd like a bigger property for farming on.

    Any tips on where to find this kind of a place? I've always had the best of luck renting rooms from people I went to church with. They were always fair as far as money was concerned.
    My recent post 5 Great Books to Learn Asset Allocation

    Reply
  19. iheartbudgets

    I can't do a SUPER small space. We have a 1,500 sq. ft. house and it's already feeling small for our family of 3, LOL. Things will get smaller as our family grows, so I guess I'll have to get used to it, because we're not moving for at least a decade! Your house would have me breathing into a brown paper bag! Good for you, and $100 a month is BALLER! Keep doing your thing!
    My recent post Ultimate Budget Series: Part 1 – Income

    Reply
  20. Savvy Scot

    I got excited thinking that was your house…. until I read the caption 🙁
    My recent post A Promise of Paradise – Why I am Not Buying Property in Mexico

    Reply
  21. debtroundup

    I give you credit for doing it Jordann, but I wouldn't be able to. I don't like feeling cramped, so I will do my best to have space.

    Reply
  22. Canadianbudgetbinder

    Yes the second house I bought was around 600 sq feet. It wasn't huge but it was home. You are right it didn't take too much time to clean up and I didn't have more stuff in the house that I needed. I also did not have a basement like I do in Canada. Our basement now is bigger than my home in the UK but my house in the UK was worth more than this home. That just goes to show you how expensive houses are in the UK although I bought it for cheap when I was around 24. Owning a home was more important to me than spending my money on "stuff" I didn't need. You make do with the space and come up with creative ways to store items and enjoy the space.
    My recent post I Can Buy It, But Can I Afford It

    Reply
  23. Alex

    I'd definitely consider a small space to save money. The need to simplify can be a blessing in disguise.

    I don't think it's a long-term choice for me, but if I had a goal for the money, I'd really think about it.

    Reply
  24. Squirrelers

    That's great that the place in which you're living is working out well for you, especially financially!

    While a 400 sq foot place would not be workable for me, I do think that the average family tends to overestimate their needs in terms of living space. I grew up in a home that wasn't massive by any stretch, but it was bigger than the one in which I'm living in now. And I'm not worse off for it!

    Reply
  25. Pamela

    Great post. And while not everyone could live in such a small space, most of us could do with much less.

    I'm planning to move aboard a sailboat in a couple of years. Part of the appeal is being limited to only what I need. It's already made me think differently about the items I do have.

    Reply
  26. chrisholdheide

    I like the idea of sticking with something small but 400 sq ft. would be impossible for me. However, when I built my new house one thing I did was made sure our house didn't get to big. Often times I heard from others when I was in the planning process to build that you need to build your house bigger. However with a bigger house that means more upkeep, more debt, and more taxes, which are three things I'm not a big fan of at all. I feel it comes down to what you actually need and will use and if you can get by in 400 sq ft, awesome, but don't go bigger just because you have the money.
    My recent post 4 Debt Tips for Young Adults

    Reply
  27. Catherine Alford

    My apartment is about 270 square feet, and I live there with my husband and my dog. I've lived there for 2 years. :)))

    Reply
  28. The Norwegian Girl

    BF and I lived in a 400sq.Ft apartment for a year, and it worked just fine! Though it did require some planning and mad organization skills, but all in all it helps to keep things on minimum. no more books and dvds than one bookcase can hold, no more clothes than a dresser can hold etc. We now live in a bigger apartment that´s about 538 sq.Ft, which is lovely because we have more storage space AND I have room for my desk, which is really lovely. I hated using he kitchen table. but now that we´ve gotten used to a bit more space, we probably won´t reduce the size anytime soon. it´s weird how quickly you get accustomed to certain "standards".

    Reply
  29. Little House

    That's awesome! I write a lot about little houses, but I'm not so sure I could actually live in a 400 sq ft house. However, I think it's a great strategy for paying off debt. Under 100 bucks per month? Way to go! Just think, if you live there a little longer, you could save a ton of money, too.

    Reply
  30. Stefanie @ The Broke and Beautiful Life

    A 400 square foot apartment in my neighborhood would probably cost around $1,000 a month, no joke.

    Reply
  31. Justin @ RootofGood

    That is pretty cool! I think I could live in a well laid out 400 sf house. Once I get these three kids of ours out of the house. I might even get Mrs. RootofGood to join me in the 400 sf house!

    It’s a shame you will likely never see a mass market (=affordable) neighborhood of ~400 sf houses in the US.

    Reply
  32. Scott @ HomeBuyer Nation

    Awesome! I lived in a similar sized studio in college. I loved it. Made me get outside and enjoy my friends more.

    Reply
  33. kathi

    I am looking to downsize from 1500 Sq ft to 400 Sq ft. From the city to the beach, I’m going to try the theory of have I used it do I need it maybe put a great deal of stuff in storage for 6 months to see if I really do need it and if not bye bye. Thanks for all the ideas.

    Reply
  34. Megan

    We are almost to the building of our tiny house! I am so excited it’s going to be a little over 400 square feet! We are 2 adults and 3 kids! We currently live in an 1100 square foot house and are just tired of cleaning all the time and so much stuff! I hope I’m as organized and positive as you and can write a blog!

    Reply
    1. Michelle S.

      Yes, you should definitely start a blog Megan! I would love to read it.

      Reply
  35. DealForALiving

    Color me impressed – 400sf! I remember back in the day with my 550sf studio and how I couldn’t wait to get out of there after a year of minimalist living. And now that I’ve spread out into a larger space, it’s really really hard to imagine getting back to such a cozy lifestyle.

    Reply
  36. Lacey

    My cabin is 450sq ft. In it is myself, husband, and two little girls under 3yrs. Plus a dog and a cat. I love having a small place. The main thing is shelving. Utilize floor to ceiling with shelving or cabinets. We live on a farm and so outside is a big seal to us. Also we are outside a lot because we live in Alaska and here is lots of outdoor things to do regardless of season. The only thing I would change is having a bath house and atrium unattached to the house.

    Reply
  37. Alice

    To me, 400 square feet is not tiny… a little bit small but surely not tiny. We live, my husband and I in a 400 square foot house with 2 dogs (mostly they stay inside as they don’t want to walk alone!!) and 3 cats… and we have more than enough space! Americans are used to live in huge houses, that’s why to them living in a 400 square foot house seems to be challenging… they should have a look on other countries where people live at more than 10 in this kind of space!

    Reply
  38. Elena W

    We live in a static caravan, 36ft x 12ft, so roughly 400 sq ft. I TOTALLY agree about the cleaning and clutter problem! We also share the space with a dog, often some hatching eggs or chicks and as of this week two baby rabbits that we rescued!

    Reply
  39. Angela Marie

    I have lived in tiny cottages on and off for the last twenty years, and recently moved into a tiny 280 sq ft cottage with my two dogs to live a simpler life. It was tough parting with the small amount of stuff I had from my last 480 sq ft cottage, but it’s turned out to be a great experience. I now have my boyfriend living with me as well and that was a little stressful in the beginning until we got the tiny house dance down. We are fortunate to live where the weather is always nice and have a small garden area and creek outside to give us more space. We are currently saving to buy our own home and I am hoping it’s a tiny one. Tiny living is the way to go! Happy trails!

    Reply
  40. Jennifer Jones

    I am absolutely in love with the idea of living in a tiny house. I hate clutter and have moved so many times in my life that my personal belongings don’t take up very much space at all (I have 4 pairs of shoes – and 2 of those are for work!). However, my husband is about 3 steps shy of being a life-long hoarder (i.e. still has TAPES {VHS and audio} even though we don’t have a tape player and have no plans to obtain one!). I love the idea of cutting down on the clutter, but I also love the idea of being able to live off a simpler budget as well.

    Reply
  41. Kathy

    For the first 6 years we were married we lived in an 8′ x 34′ trailer from the 1950’s. We were hardly ever home. So it worked out well for us. Next we lived in a 400 sq foot cottage for really cheap rent. We shared it with some mice and a lot of ants, but it was just temporary. We were trying to save money for a down payment on our first real house. That wasn’t very big either, less than 800 sq feet. But we had everything we needed, an adequate kitchen, living room, small bathroom and 2 small bedrooms. We lived there 8 years and then bought our present house of 1400 sq feet. We’ve been in that 30 years. Now i’m ready for a smaller place again. 600-800 sq feet would be ideal. I really like small living. Our expenses are lower. It doesn’t cost as much to heat and cool a small house. Redecorating is a lot cheaper; you can find carpet and flooring remnants. You can’t buy much, which is okay with me. It means having less to keep track of. You have to be organized. You’re right about hobbies. You have to do things that don’t require a lot of storage. It helps to create storage in ingenious ways. And we spent a lot of time outside on our deck. If you like camping, you probably won’t mind living in a small space. It’s more affordable and leaves room for things like traveling more. If I lived alone, I’d consider an even smaller place.

    Reply
  42. Holly

    Giving up painting just to live in a smaller house?!?

    Reply
  43. Abby

    Hello! My name is Abby and I’m a college student. I’m writing an in depth report about The Tiny House Movement for my Media Writing final. If you are interested in answering a few questions to help me gather information, could you send me an email? Thank you for your time and consideration.

    Reply
    1. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

      Hello,

      Please send me an email at senseofcents@gmail.com 🙂

      Reply
  44. Amanda Nichole

    My husband, EXTRA LARGE mutt and I live in a 24′ travel trailer here in Alaska. Let me tell you, it has it’s challenges. We have a wood-burning stove and propane heat for the negative degree weather we have been having (down comforter, too). Trial and error with a small wood-burning stove. The clutter, oh the clutter! I am still struggling with organizing our teensy space. Carrying in your own water adds to the challenge as well. Some days I want to throw in the towel and GIVE UP! but that quickly passes when I think about leases and neighbors. I feel proud to know I can live so minimally and eventually we will expand into homesteading. I have visions of chickens and vegetable picking dancing in my head! 🙂 Good luck!

    Reply
  45. Nicola

    I found this a little bit amusing because of how we interpret ‘small’ or ‘tiny’ in difference parts of the world. My partner and I rented a totally normal (not small) one bed house, which was 47m2 (500 sq ft) and into that went a really good size double bedroom, a generous lounge-diner, a kitchen and bathroom, with a hall and storage cupboard. It wasn’t a challenge to live there at all, this was before I started thinking about minimalism and reducing the amount of stuff we have. The average American house is 4 times the size of the average UK house, so while downsizing is great wherever you live, I sometimes find that other people’s versions of small don’t quite equate to my own! 🙂

    Reply
  46. Lauren Jade Martin

    I absolutely LOVE this post! I live in 220 sq.ft on wheels with my boyfriend and our two dogs! Since the transition 3+ months ago we couldn’t be happier. Yes, there are things we miss but the extra money and freedom is SO worth it. I wish we could figure out how to not get our dogs to sleep with us!! they always figure out a way to sneak in! 😀 Thanks for all the great links and tips! Xx

    Lauren Jade

    Reply
    1. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

      Hey! I follow you on Instagram and I’m a big fan 🙂

      Sounds like we have a pretty similar story. Me and my husband live in our RV with our two dogs and just started doing this in July 🙂

      Reply
  47. Evie

    I’m glad to read that there are lots of folks that, along their journey, experienced living in a small space bc it’s a good memory to retain in making these options to minimize our lives. However, I want to add that today’s 400sf living areas are intentionaly designed very different than a dorm room, small apartment, little home of yester year. Compost toilets, hide away spice racks, rain catch systems, solar panels, efficient small appliances, beds set on storage units and plenty of other modern additions to making small living do able. Just saying…..

    Reply
  48. Lola Montez

    Interesting, but if you earn $30,000 PER MONTH blogging, why on earth would you need to do this at all? You could have paid off that debt in ONE MONTH ($27,000)!

    For the math challenged, $30K a month is $360,000 a year. Even in pricey places like NYC or San Francisco, this would be plenty for a 2 bedroom apartment. In most cities, this would support a fairly luxurious lifestyle — big house, nice cars, travel.

    BTW: the upper “1%” as often defined in the media as the most wealthy Americans, starts at …. $365,000. You are almost there, buddy! But hardly in a position where you “must” live in a tiny cottage.

    Lastly: I actually have that “digital TV” via antenna. It works horribly. Pictures goes out constantly, you get channels where the picture breaks up into green “squares”. You don’t get the shows people want to see on HBO, A&E and so on — just the crap on regular TV, and awful local movie channels that show the same 20 movies over and over. Products that advertise as if this was “free cable” are lying to you. This is 10 times WORSE than the old analog (non-digital) antenna TV, and you are lucky if you can pull in 8 channels at most. I live in a big city, too. It would be worse in a small town or rural area.

    Reply
    1. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

      Please read the first sentence in this blog post. My staff writer actually wrote this post, not me. Also, this is from 2013 and I was not earning $30,000 a month at that time anyways. Please do not be so rude.

      Also, I’m not sure if you understand how the digital antenna works. They don’t advertise it pretending that you’ll get HBO. It’s just local channels, which is what I prefer anyways.

      Plus, I live in a town of 10,000 people and I receive over 10 channels that come in great with my antenna… 🙂

      Reply
      1. Cat

        Regardless, and not being rude here, I actually find it absolutely amazing that Jordann is able to make $30,000 a month blogging (assuming she wrote the post and thus posted her income, otherwise congrats to you). Less than 50% of plastic surgeons earn that much. Not saying it isn’t impossible by any means (I have huge dreams that seem pretty impossible, but I’m determined), but it’s impressive to have what’s probably the most lucrative blog in the country! An inspiration to any aspiring blogger for sure. Maybe I’ll kick one off because you never know! 🙂

        Reply
      2. Alexa

        I’m quite intrigued… I’d be happy to simply make $100/mo blogging. I love writing and have lots of things. How do you get started and how do you best build income and followers. I’d love the freedom of a minimalist life and to be home more, even loving my job and having an 820 sq ft home

        Reply
        1. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

          Hello,

          I recommend checking out my free blogging course – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/freecourse

          Reply
  49. Trevor Carss

    Excellent and insightful article on lifestyle minimalism!

    This is a great real-life story of making the switch, and raises the question around housing size. You were saying that even with a smaller living space, the proportionate clutter could actually feel just as – if not more – overwhelming compared to a larger space. In order to really make the switch to a stress-free, optimal life in a tiny home, would we need to look at ourselves and our physical possessions first before making the downsize?

    Reply